"Bahrain airport's rescue skills pass test"

Wednesday, June 23, 2004

Airport's rescue skills pass test  
By SOMAN BABY 
Bahrain - The Gulf Daily News


A MOCK air crash at Bahrain International Airport put rescue skills of
Bahrain's emergency services to the test yesterday. Airport, health and
civil defence and fire officials rose to the challenge successfully by
swinging into action for a full-scale mock disaster.

The live emergency exercise was organised by Civil Aviation Affairs
(CAA) in co-ordination with the health and interior ministries and other
government agencies.

The drill was aimed at testing efficiency and readiness at Bahrain
airport in case of any emergency, in line with requirements from the
International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

CAA Under-Secretary Captain Abdulrahman Al Gaoud praised the outcome of
the exercise.

Similar exercises are staged every two years under the directives of
Transportation Minister Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, he told the
GDN.

"This is to ensure the security and safety measures at Bahrain
International Airport and test the competence and preparedness of the
airport fire services and other agencies to act in emergency
situations," he added.

Capt Al Gaoud said the exercise involved an Airbus A320 Futureland
Airways flight No FUT106 which "crashed" while landing at the airport at
10am.

He said a neutral committee was set up to assess the performance of the
emergency staff, with London Fire Brigade crisis and emergency
management expert Robert Robinson attending as an observer.

Capt Al Gaoud thanked the Interior and Health Ministries, Bahrain
Airport Services, Gulf Air, Civil Defence and Fire Services, Bahrain
Defence Force, National Guards, and employees of airline companies,
airport and CAA, who worked hand in hand to make the exercise smooth and
successful. 

Airport director Nabeel Taqi, who addressed a Press conference, gave the
following narration about the mock disaster:

"The aircraft was inbound from Northumbia with 103 passengers and seven
crew on board. The aircraft, which was in contact with Air Traffic
Control, executed final approach.

"During landing it overshot the runway, struck the distance measuring
equipment at the end of the runway, swerved the right and crashed, on
Runway 30L.

"It suffered extensive damage due to impact and break out of a small
fire.

"The Air Traffic Control operated the crash alarm and the Airport Fire
Services responded immediately and fought the fire, and with the support
of Civil Defence, who arrived within three minutes, started rescue
operation.

"The weather condition at the time of landing was excellent with good
visibility, and wind blowing from the northwest.

"Until this moment, we have received report from the crash site stating
that eight died, 20 seriously injured, 31 slightly injured and 51
non-injured.

"The seriously injured were transferred to Salmaniya Medical Complex.
Two of them were airlifted.

"CAA opened the Crisis Management Centre to control the situation and to
take the necessary steps to resume the airport operations.

"The aircraft black box has been collected and handed over to CAA
investigators.

"The Information Ministry has announced several telephone numbers for
the relatives in Bahrain and abroad to call and enquire about their
loved ones."

Mr Taqi said every detail was carefully planned.

Volunteers played the dead and injured, who had to be brought out of a
real Gulf Air jet, standing away from the main runway, near the new Air
Traffic Control Tower under construction.

Debris was set ablaze nearby to test fire-fighting skills, and smoke
blew across the scene of the operation.

Most of the "victims" had their tattered clothing soaked in fake blood,
and their faces covered with soot.

Dozens of doctors, nurses and medical technicians from Salmaniya Medical
Complex (SMC) were also involved in the "rescue" operations, said Health
Ministry heads of paramedics and ambulance services Mohammed Abdulraheem
Abdulla. 

"SMC Command Centre and emergency rooms were fully prepared to receive
the casualties," he told the GDN.

"We sent 10 ambulances to the crash site. The first two mobile teams had
two doctors, two nurses and two paramedics each.

"While 18 of the seriously injured were brought by ambulances, two were
brought by a BDF helicopter which was used as an air ambulance."

Mr Abdulla said the doctors, nurses, the triage team and paramedics had
all worked as one team in the "life-saving exercise".

Some of the "casualties" required immediate surgical attention.

Some "seriously injured" were transferred to the burns unit and others
to the intensive care unit, he added.

The whole exercise looked so real that emergency services as well as the
GDN received a surge of calls from people thinking that there had been a
real crash at the airport. 

Attached Photo:

Disaster Drill

Lpic3.jpg